ÓBIDOS: GUIDE OF A CHARMING MEDIEVAL VILLAGE

Óbidos is about an hour from Lisbon and is one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal. The small size of the town means you can easily explore it in one single day. Here is my Óbidos Guide with what you need to see, how to get there, where to eat… Hope you like it!

HOW TO GET THERE AND HOW TO MOVE AROUND

The easiest way to travel from Lisbon to Óbidos is by car but be aware that cars are not allowed within the town walls. I recommend leaving the car down and climbing the hill by foot. There is also a direct express bus service connecting Lisbon to Óbidos.

Óbidos is such a beautiful place. Walking is the best way to appreciate the village’s charming atmosphere. 

History

The area was taken from the Moors by the first King of Portugal in 1148. When Dom Dinis first showed Óbidos to his wife Dona Isabel in 1228, she fell in love with the place. The king decided to make the town a wedding gift to his queen, initiating a royal tradition that lasted until the 19th century.

What to do in Óbidos

Óbidos is a place where you can let your imagination take you back hundreds of years. Simply walking through the village is incredible, as most of the buildings are decorated with flowers. You can walk the castle walls but please be careful: there are no railings and the height can reach more than ten meters. The view is worth the walk though.

This is a great little town to walk around, with lots of shops, cafés and bars on the main street with lots of interesting side streets to explore as well.

In addition to the castle and the walls, there are other architectural features to admire in Óbidos. One of the main monuments of Óbidos is right at its entrance: Porta da Vila.
Óbidos is also famous for its bookstores. There are 14 bookstores.
There are several churches worth visiting as well.

Through the main street, Rua Direita, you can admire the white houses with colorful frames and flowered windows. I recommend you to visit Comur – Conserveira de Portugal. It’s a beautiful and colorful store and you can find a can of sardines with your year of birth.

We bought our souvenirs at Casa das Recordações.

If you are into photography, you can take so many pictures there, not only of the streets, the shops, the tourists and the pretty colors, but also the views of the castle walls. Your photos will be amazing!

Where to eat

We didn’t have lunch there but we started the visit with a coffee and a pastel de nata at Taberna O Lidador. The pastel de nata was still warm, fresh out of the oven. You’ll notice the giant bouganville there.

Óbidos is famous for the Ginjinha d’Óbidos, a sweet liqueur often served in an edible chocolate cup, and no trip to Óbidos is complete without tasting this sweet drink.

Lagoa de Óbidos

We ended the day at Lagoa de Óbidos and we even got our feet wet. It’s a great place to go if you have kids and there are lots of activities you can do there.

Special events

Within the castle walls, the International Chocolate Festival takes place every year between March and April. There is also a Medieval Market between July and August. For two weeks the castle and the surrounding town recreate the spirit of medieval Europe. It’s truly an amazing experience.

This is my complete Óbidos Guide. I hope you liked it and found it useful! Feel free to check my post about 9 unforgettable places to visit in Sintra.

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